Chennai cops crack Tasmac cash guard murder

Chennai: The city police claimed to have solved the murder of a private security officer escorting Tasmac cash who was killed during a failed robbery bid in Rajamangalam, with the arrest of six persons with the help of the CCTV images, on Wednesday.

The breakthrough comes over 2 months after the report of the incident, and the suspects were pinned using the intelligence gathered among serial offenders lodged in major prisons in the State.

Preliminary probe suggests that the gang which was initially 3-Thoothukudi-based-men facing murder charge, came up with the plan of robbery on witnessing the large-scale movement of cash through the private vehicles.

The plan got its shape through their binge sessions, and carried recce in three Tasmac shops, which the particular vehicle used to collect the cash. As the plan progressed, the gang roped in four including 2 drivers from Perungalathur, and their kin.

The gang chose the shop located on 100 Ft Road, Ayyappa Nagar, Rajamangalam since it had easy access and had a predominantly deserted service road, which gave them an edge to escape.

The gang, C. Sivakumar, (30), C. Vijay, (31), V. Narayanababu, (36), P. Ganesan, (34), S. Thangavelayutham, and S. Rameshkumar, (36), were arrested. Sivakumar and Vijay are co-accused in a murder case while one Bose who is still at large is also from Thoothukudi, and facing murder charges. An SUV used by the gang, and two bikes were seized so far, as used in the present attempt to robbery-cum-murder case.

On April 25, Rajendran, (54), security officer, of Radiant Cash Management services, was hacked by a trio when he climbed out of the car when the other staff went to collect cash from the Tasmac shop at around 3.15 pm. He succumbed on the injuries the next day. Subsequently, the robbery attempt case, pursued by Rajamangalam Police was altered to murder, and special teams were formed to crack the case.